Photo By Chris Melgaard - #3 Hailey Meek
4A South East Idaho Conference Preview
Written by Madison Guernsey
Players to Watch
Ashton Adamson (Century)
Preslie Merrill (Century)
Tenleigh Smith (Century)
Ellie Johnson (Pocatello)
Hallie Pearson (Pocatello)
Alexia Tinno (Pocatello)
Kylie Larsen (Preston)
Hailey Meek (Preston)
Mickayla Robertson (Preston)
Century, Pocatello and Preston share a new conference alignment this season, but there won't be many unknowns.
Familiarity abounds in the condensed South East Idaho Conference, which was formed by Century, Pocatello and Preston after the three schools spent the last two seasons in the 10-team Great Basin Conference. They've been conference mates since long before that, facing each other multiple times year after year.
That familiarity, combined with the challenge of competing for a single state tournament berth, will heighten competition and intensity within the three-team conference, coaches say.
“I don't believe this year will be a year of surprises,” Preston coach Ryan Harris said. “Each game will be highly contested with so much at stake.”
Century and Preston figure to be the top contenders for the league title and state tournament berth, while Pocatello looks to play spoiler as it continues finding its footing.
The Diamondbacks, led by 12th-year head coach Chris Shuler, have won nine consecutive conference championships. Although those titles have been awarded by a few different leagues as alignments have changed over the years, Pocatello and Preston have been along for all nine.
Century's conference dominance has been overshadowed by its consistent state-wide success. Six of the last eight 4A state championship games, including last year's, have featured the Diamondbacks, who have claimed three state titles during that stretch. They return one all-state player and added another in the offseason, making them the prohibitive favorites to win another league title.
Senior guards Ashton Adamson and Preslie Merrill highlight Century's returning talent. Adamson earned second-team all-state honors last season after averaging 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game. They're joined by senior Tenleigh Smith, who will end her high school career at Century after spending the last three seasons at Blackfoot. As a three-year starter, Smith helped the Broncos to state tournament berths in 2019 and 2020 – a remarkable turnaround for a program that went 1-21 just a few seasons ago. She was a first-team all-state selection last season after averaging 12.9 points and 5.3 assists.
If Century repeats as district champion, it will be thanks to its defense. The Diamondbacks had the best scoring defense in 4A last season, holding opponents to 34 points per game. However, Shuler said his team's overall shooting needs to improve.
In fact, Pocatello and Preston also leaned on their defense last season, and their respective head coaches cited offensive production as an improvement to target.
Preston's outlook is positive on that side of the ball. The Indians return three of their top four scorers from a season ago, including junior Mickayla Robertson, who made a team-best 48.6% of her 3-pointers. She and senior Kylie Larsen were third-team all-conference last season, while junior Hailey Meek returns after netting honorable mention all-conference acclaim.
Preston has been to state three of the last four years, but must overtake Century to do it again.
“With experience and leadership, I think girls will be able to settle in in (big) games,” Harris said.
Pocatello doesn't have the postseason experience that Century and Preston do, but the Gate City Indians hope to surprise their conference rivals this season.
Poky established itself as a scrappy and defensive-minded team last season, and under second-year head coach Sunny Evans hopes to improve its offensive fundamentals and discipline. Pocatello's scoring defense ranked 10th out of 28 teams in the 4A classification (42.4 points allowed per game), but its offense ranked last (28.7 ppg).
“At times, we were really successful defensively, and in order for us to go in the direction we want this program to go, we will always have to have a strong defensive presence,” Evans said. “We will also have to continue to play with passion and integrity, which I believe we did last year. The competition is too good to think we can compete without those two qualities.”
Pocatello is led by senior Ellie Johnson and juniors Hallie Pearson and Alexia Tinno – upperclassmen who will be relied upon to fill holes left by seven departed seniors.
“The other two teams in our conference have proven themselves and have consistently competed at a high level,” Evans said. “Pocatello will need to surprise some people in order for the
program to gain confidence and continue to grow in positive ways.”